Search
23 Oct 2025
Search
23 Oct 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Founded in 2000 by Fr Willie Purcell, the Kilkenny Gospel Choir is proudly celebrating 25 years of inspirational music,
charitable outreach, and spiritual service in 2025.
What began with a shared love of gospel music has since grown into a dynamic and diverse international ensemble. In its early years, the choir became the largest gospel choir in Europe with more than 120 members. Over the past quarter century, the Kilkenny Gospel Choir has welcomed members from every county in Ireland as well as a wide range of countries.
The choir has embodied a spirit of global unity, uniting those from near and far for great causes. As a registered charitable foundation, the choir has raised over €450,000 for causes local, national and internationally.
READ NEXT: Progress possible on airport which caters to large numbers of Kilkenny passengers
Their debut CD, Kilkenny Sings Gospel, raised critical funds for the Kilkenny Rape Crisis Centre and the Kilkenny Women’s Refuge. The choir’s heartfelt single, Sleep Little Angel, supported the Sudden Infant Death Association, while their third album, Somebody’s Praying (2008), was launched in aid of the Irish Cancer Society and Kilkenny Cancer Care.
Their music ministry has extended far beyond Ireland. Over the years, the choir has performed across the United States, including Washington D.C., Boston, and New York. Highlights of these tours include a collaboration with the renowned Joyful
Voices of Inspiration Choir in Boston and a moving performance at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. A particularly treasured memory was singing for Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter’s Square, Rome, an honour that reflects the choir’s deep spiritual commitment.
The success of Somebody’s Praying marked a milestone that placed the Kilkenny Gospel Choir on the international stage as one of Europe’s best-loved gospel choirs. But it is their ongoing commitment to service, charity, and faith that defines their legacy.
"At the heart of our choir is a strong spirituality," said Fr Purcell, who continues to serve as director.
"We are grateful for the gifts God has given us our voices, our friendships, and our mission. Through music, we pray that lives are touched, and hearts are uplifted with the love of God," Fr Purcell added.
As they mark 25 years of gospel harmony, the Kilkenny Gospel Choir looks forward with hope to many more years of song, service, and spiritual inspiration.
For more information, visit the choir's website or follow the Kilkenny Gospel Choir on social media.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
